Are Image Sliders Killing Your Website Conversion?

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, sliders are found on a majority of websites these days and are not going away soon. Just because everyone else is doing it, doesn’t mean your website has to follow suit. Consider what the slider accomplishes in the grand scheme of your site in order to impact visitor conversion.

Is Movement Really That Great?

Movement on a website can be cool or it can be distracting. In the case of the rotating slider, it can easily become distracting and thus be ignored. It takes control away from the user and undermines their ability to find what they are looking for. It can detract from your most important message and cause visitors to leave your site.

Trying To Please Everyone

Sliders represent a way to communicate a lot of information in one modular area. It’s easy to get carried away. Develop your home page around a content strategy and place the most important message here. The slider area should not be used as a catch all and if that is your only goal, rethink it.

Strategy vs Bells and Whistles

They’re not just pretty things to look at. Sliders can be effective if you have a good strategy. Instead of putting up random images and text, create a few compelling calls to action that are relevant to your visitor. Slow down the slide speed and provide intuitive navigation so your visitor doesn’t have to hunt to get back to that last slide or move forward to the next offer.

So, how do you know if your site needs a slider or not? There’s no simple yes or no answer. When developing your website, don’t design it around a slider. Design it around your brand and the message or offer that will convert your visitor.